---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had to work to put myself through…"
description: "\"I had to work to put myself through school, so I always worked in the heaviest industries I could find because that's who paid the best.\" — Edward Burt..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png"
---

#  I had to work to put myself through school, so I always…

![“I had to work to put myself through school, so I always worked in the heaviest industries I could find because that's who paid the best.” quote by Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png)

> “I had to work to put myself through school, so I always worked in the heaviest industries I could find because that's who paid the best.”

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He pursued high‑paying, demanding jobs to fund his education, prioritizing income over ease.

**In simple terms:** He worked tough jobs to pay for school.

Key Takeaway

Seek the best‑paid work to fund goals.

Themes

career finance education

Mood

pragmatic determined

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- student loans
- career planning
- gig economy
- skill development

Key Concepts

opportunity cost labor market sacrifice

Questions to Reflect On

- What trade‑offs are you willing to make?
- How can you balance earnings and health?

A Different Perspective

High stress jobs may affect health and well‑being.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/)

## Related quotes

> [To get paid the best, you must be the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-harv-eker/to-get-paid-the-best-you-must-be-the-best/)

[T. Harv Eker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-harv-eker/)

> [As long as you are getting to do what you love and getting paid to do it, it's the best feeling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/varun-sharma/as-long-as-you-are-getting-to-do-what-you-love-and-getting-paid-to-do/)

[Varun Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/varun-sharma/)

> [Real wealth comes to the person who learns that we are paid best for the things we do for nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/real-wealth-comes-to-the-person-who-learns-that-we-are-paid-best-for/)

[John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/)

> [I love acting since I was little girl. I went to school for it; that's all I worked on. That's all I prepared for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-joy-winans/i-love-acting-since-i-was-little-girl-i-went-to-school-for-it-that-s/)

[Deborah Joy Winans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-joy-winans/)

> [When my father left us, my mother went back to school immediately. She went to school in the day while we were at school,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginni-rometty/when-my-father-left-us-my-mother-went-back-to-school-immediately-she/)

[Ginni Rometty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginni-rometty/)

> [“That's my school. I worked harder to get in than I did for anything else, ever. I went there because, coming out of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/that-s-my-school-i-worked-harder-to-get-in-than-i-did-for-anything/)

[Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/)

> [“Meanwhile, we’d been kicked out of school at fifteen and had worked in factories and slaughtered animals for a living, but then we’d made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/meanwhile-we-d-been-kicked-out-of-school-at-fifteen-and-had-worked-in/)

[Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/)

> [I worked on minimum wage; I didn't go to college out of school. I worked multiple jobs, and it's probably not something Sen. Hagan's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-tillis/i-worked-on-minimum-wage-i-didn-t-go-to-college-out-of-school-i/)

[Thom Tillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-tillis/)

> [I had a hard time at school because I worked, so I was quite often out of school, which meant that I didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-paige/i-had-a-hard-time-at-school-because-i-worked-so-i-was-quite-often-out/)

[Yasmin Paige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-paige/)

> [I moved to L.A. straight out of graduating my arts high school and worked three jobs to afford living while taking acting classes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madelaine-petsch/i-moved-to-l-a-straight-out-of-graduating-my-arts-high-school-and/)

[Madelaine Petsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madelaine-petsch/)

> [I went to film school, worked as an assistant, and wrote several scripts that haven't gotten made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-miller/i-went-to-film-school-worked-as-an-assistant-and-wrote-several/)

[Lauren Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-miller/)

> [I grew up in a household that was a labor household. My dad was a Teamster and a milk truck driver. My mother was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-gephardt/i-grew-up-in-a-household-that-was-a-labor-household-my-dad-was-a/)

[Dick Gephardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-gephardt/)

> [I was very driven in high school. I worked a bunch of odd jobs. I never partied. I never drank. I was just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-paul/i-was-very-driven-in-high-school-i-worked-a-bunch-of-odd-jobs-i-never/)

[Aaron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-paul/)

> [When I was in high school, I worked at a theatre on Long Island, where I grew up, in the box office and parking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-schwartz/when-i-was-in-high-school-i-worked-at-a-theatre-on-long-island-where/)

[Stephen Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-schwartz/)

> [I knew my ticket out of the suburbs was art school, so I worked really hard to develop my portfolio and get a scholarship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mcginley/i-knew-my-ticket-out-of-the-suburbs-was-art-school-so-i-worked-really/)

[Ryan McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mcginley/)

## More by Edward Burtynsky

> [Sometimes you don't know why you're doing something. You're intuitively following, to see where it leads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/sometimes-you-don-t-know-why-you-re-doing-something-you-re/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [Water, like many other resources, is harvested, transported and used throughout all aspects of society. Unlike other resources, water is critical to the survival…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/water-like-many-other-resources-is-harvested-transported-and-used/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [If you look at photojournalism, it's largely driven by current events... always chasing a crisis or disaster. I follow a narrative that is much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/if-you-look-at-photojournalism-it-s-largely-driven-by-current-events/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [I'm of the belief that you pursue your interests, you pull it all in, and you sort it out later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-m-of-the-belief-that-you-pursue-your-interests-you-pull-it-all-in/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [My father was an amateur oil painter, so some of his oil paintings were on our walls. There was one above the piano of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/my-father-was-an-amateur-oil-painter-so-some-of-his-oil-paintings/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [These landscapes aren't breaking news or necessarily even illegal. These are intentional, purposeful landscapes, whether to extend our cities or build a mine or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/these-landscapes-aren-t-breaking-news-or-necessarily-even-illegal/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [Digital photography and Photoshop have made it very easy for people to take pictures. It's a medium that allows a lot of mediocre stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/digital-photography-and-photoshop-have-made-it-very-easy-for-people/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [No water equals no life. We can have no oil; it's fine. No water - there is no plan b with no water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/no-water-equals-no-life-we-can-have-no-oil-it-s-fine-no-water-there/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [Wherever you disrupt water from its natural cycle, there's always a winner and a loser. Whoever is the one it's directed towards is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/wherever-you-disrupt-water-from-its-natural-cycle-there-s-always-a/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [We have extracted from the land from the moment we stood on two feet. We are working to supply the kinds of materials that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/we-have-extracted-from-the-land-from-the-moment-we-stood-on-two-feet/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [I'm trying to photograph an old offshore oil city that is lying in decay in the Caspian Sea, but I've been having a hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-m-trying-to-photograph-an-old-offshore-oil-city-that-is-lying-in/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [The bigger question is how does a rogue species called humans - whose population just blew through the seven billion mark on it's way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/the-bigger-question-is-how-does-a-rogue-species-called-humans-whose/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [I can go into the wilderness and not see anyone for days and experience a kind of space that hasn't changed for tens of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-can-go-into-the-wilderness-and-not-see-anyone-for-days-and/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [To me, Los Angeles was the invention of the suburb. They figured it out and perfected it and created a city that was dependent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/to-me-los-angeles-was-the-invention-of-the-suburb-they-figured-it-out/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

> [I'm working in this very complex set of issues having to do with who we are as a species and how much we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-m-working-in-this-very-complex-set-of-issues-having-to-do-with-who/)

[Edward Burtynsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

[Explore all 39 Edward Burtynsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/)

## More Always quotes

> [I think performing has pretty much always been a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isa-briones/i-think-performing-has-pretty-much-always-been-a-part-of-me/)

[Isa Briones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isa-briones/)

> [I always thought if I was born 2000 years earlier, I would be a monk, probably carving a monastery or some giant pantheon buildings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenova-chen/i-always-thought-if-i-was-born-2000-years-earlier-i-would-be-a-monk/)

[Jenova Chen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenova-chen/)

> [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/)

[Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/)

> [It's always great to see old friends, especially those I have not been able to see in 15 months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-regal/it-s-always-great-to-see-old-friends-especially-those-i-have-not-been/)

[William Regal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-regal/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [I have really good lateral movement. I've always had quick lateral movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-rivers/i-have-really-good-lateral-movement-i-ve-always-had-quick-lateral/)

[Austin Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-rivers/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [Mythology is something that always has opportunities to explore. 'It' has been on Earth for millions of years. He's been in contact with humans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-muschietti/mythology-is-something-that-always-has-opportunities-to-explore-it/)

[Andy Muschietti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-muschietti/)

> [It's not writing in the traditional sense, but I've always said that the writing process continues on the set and even into the editing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-weide/it-s-not-writing-in-the-traditional-sense-but-i-ve-always-said-that/)

[Robert B. Weide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-weide/)

> [I always watch my matches back 100 times afterwards because that's how I improve. This is something I've always done, even in NXT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-rose/i-always-watch-my-matches-back-100-times-afterwards-because-that-s/)

[Mandy Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-rose/)

> [I've always been of the idea that is doesn't really matter where you are geographically - with 'Lonerism,' we made half the album in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-parker/i-ve-always-been-of-the-idea-that-is-doesn-t-really-matter-where-you/)

[Kevin Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-parker/)

> [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/)

[Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/)

> [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/)

[Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/)

> [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/)

[Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/)

> [Bayern is always a team that can win the Champions League title in Europe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lothar-matthaus/bayern-is-always-a-team-that-can-win-the-champions-league-title-in/)

[Lothar Matthaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lothar-matthaus/)

Browse all 36,048 Always quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I had to work to put myself through school, so I always worked in the heaviest industries I could find because that's who paid the best.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Edward Burtynsky"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-school-so-i-always-worked-in-the/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Always"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-school-so-i-always-worked-in-the/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/aa9/edward-burtynsky-16481_always_i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-scho_545321.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I had to work to put myself through school, so I always worked in the heaviest industries I could find…” — Edward Burtynsky",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Edward Burtynsky",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-burtynsky/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I had to work to put...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-school-so-i-always-worked-in-the/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-burtynsky/i-had-to-work-to-put-myself-through-school-so-i-always-worked-in-the/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
